Broken LadyBug ~ A walking dead story

Chapter 3

The morning air was crisp, carrying with it the faint scent of dew and the promise of another day fraught with survival. As I came out from my tent, the fabric whispered its protests against the movements of my companions preparing for the day ahead. Everyone is up and ready for what the day has to bring. My first thought is to find Glenn before he leaves. I notice he's with Dale by the camper so I make my way over to him. "Morning Lottie," they both say with smiles. "Morning," I say back before Shane started yelling. "Everyone going out on the fun come huddle up with me." He said with a sense of urgency. 

Glenn looks at me holding out his hand for me to follow him. I did without hesitation, Glenn's presence was a comforting weight beside me, his hand ruffling my hair with affectionate familiarity. I glanced up at him, a silent inquiry lingering in my gaze. "You'll be back, right?" I asked, a hint of uncertainty tainting my voice.

"Always, Lottie. I've got a list of things to get my girl," Glenn reassured me, his smile warm but tinged with the gravity of our circumstances. Together, we made our way to the waiting vehicles, everyone was on edge this morning, and we walked upright as Shane was in the middle of his instructions. Even though there was some tension in the small planning circle it was quickly interrupted by Carl's laughter. Lori and Shane shot a dead serious look causing him to stop in his tracks and roll his eyes and walked away. "Why are there kids here anyways, Lottie you need to go and play with the other kids" Andrea butted in. I rolled my eyes and felt someone grab my hand. I look up to see Glenn standing by my side. "I want you guys back no later than 2 and I'm serious about that" Shane said finishing his talk and we all walk to the cars. With the cars packed and ready, I watched as Glenn's departure loomed, a heaviness settling in my chest as the distance between us widened with each passing moment.

Returning to my tent, I hastily thew on my sweatshirt before seeking out Daryl Dixion, another man in our group, he had a brother Merle and usually kept to himself, but he knew his way around a gun and that's exactly what I was looking for. As I approached, I was praying he would hear me out. "Excuse me, Mr. Dixon" I said in a small voice "Don't call me that, it's just Daryl what do you want kid" he said in a muffled voice. "I was hoping you could teach me how to use a gun" I said anxiously.  "Why the hell are you asking me, where are your parents" Daryl said annoyed "Well my mom's dead and my dad... I don't know where my dad is, but he taught me a few times I just need refresher" I said practically begging at this point. Daryl's gruff response belied the flicker of consideration in his eyes, his reluctance giving way to begrudging acceptance as he acquiesced to my request. " Fine but gives me 15 minutes" he said unsurely. I nodded and quickly ran to Sofia and Carl the good news. 

Daryl tied a romer up to a tree to be my target, and under Daryl's watchful eye, he reteaches me the steps of shooting. I assumed a stance of determination, the weight of the gun unfamiliar yet strangely empowering in my grasp. With a steadying breath, I took aim, the echo of past traumas mingling with the anticipation of newfound resolve.

Memories of my father's harsh abuse resurfaced; the sharp pang of his disappointment still fresh in my mind. I was 8, and it was raining. My father woke up me up at 4:30 in the morning and drove us 4 hours away to go hunting. Once we got into the woods my father's talk started. "I'm teaching you this because I believe that a boy should learn how to shoot a gun from a young age, my father taught me, I taught your brothers and now I'm going to teach you. I told your mother from the day we found out the biggest disappointment of my life was born, I said I would never change my parenting style for some girl" my father said in an aggressive tone, then we finally made it to the spot we would be shooting at. 

I pulled my gun off my shoulder and waited. About an hour passed when a bunny hopped across right in front of us. I pulled up the gun so I could aim. Taking a deep breath and looking down the small looking hole in the gun ass my father began to whisper in my ear. "Okay Lottie now- aim- shoot- shoot- DAMN IT SHOOT LOTTIE" he yelled and with that I squeezed my eyes shut and I took the shot, but I missed.  My stomach dropped and my heart began to race. "You couldn't have done once thing could you Lottie, you useless piece of shit" he started before he grabbed the back of my neck and started pulling me to the car.